December 1909

Wednesday 1st   It rained a little last night, and it was dull most of the day, the sun showing out very little.  I took some young flower plants down to our lower gate for Mesdames J. Greenwood & Wilson Knaggs,  I planted 4 Bonfire Salvias & 4 Klondyke Cosmeas that Jane brought me from Auckland.
In the morning Willie took the box of Eggs down to the wharf and hauled up 94 Cases  & 100 lids to our gate.  In the pm he sprayed the Beurre Bose, Golden Russett & Red Warrior.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day.  I was working in the flower garden all day, weeding & loosening, in the evening it rained.
After an early tea Willie took the horse down to meet the Steamer.  There were no more Cases came, but he hauled up the remainder that were down there, being 202 altogether.

Friday 3rd   It was a fine day. Wind SE.  Willie was shoeing the sleigh.
I was working in the flower garden.  In the evening Willie & I went down to the village to get the mail & attend the Library, there was a meeting of the Farmers Association.  I read a paper on “How Farm Crops have been improved by repeated Selection & also by Hybridisation”.  We killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 4th   It was fine ‘tho dull.  In the morning Willie cut up the Sheep and took out the mutton, afterwards he sprayed the Bon Chretien & Greenwoods Pears.  He went down to the wharf in the evening to meet the “Kawau“, she brought 100 cases for Willie.
I was working in the flower garden all day planting & straightening up.  It came on a steady rain in the evening.

Sunday 5th   It was a fine day.  Revd K. Teale held service in the Hall in the morning, there were about 60 present, Collection 15/-  Jane & I went.  Mr Teale came up here for dinner.  In the pm I went up to Mr Handby’s, had tea there, Mr & Mrs Arthur Greenwood & children were also there.  Willie went to Ti Point.

Monday 6th   It was a fine day.  Willie took the horse down to the wharf in the morning and hauled up all the Cases but 12 that came on Saturday night.  In the pm he sprayed the Jargonells , the Beurre Clairgeau & 2 Beurre Diel.  In the pm I went down to Charlie Wyatts to take him some seeds & had a look round.

Tuesday 7th   It was a fine day.  Willie sprayed the Vicars, Beurre Diel, Kentucky, Lord Wollesly, Ohinemuri.  He took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up the remainder of the Cases,   also Stewarts Seedling, 5 Crown & Irish Peach.

Wednesday 8th   It was fine in the morning, but there was a misty rain during the day.  Ernest Wyatt came to look at the Danthonia seed.  Willie sprayed for the 4th time Beurre Capiaumont and in the pm planted out some “Kumeras“.  I planted 3 Dahlias & some Phlox.

Thursday 9th   Everything was very wet with the misty rain we had last night, but the sun came out and it soon dried up.  Willie started cutting Danthonia in the afternoon.  In the pm I went down to Dunnings Beach and sieved some black soil, called for the mail.  Mrs Dick Knaggs & May Dunning called in the pm to look at the flowers. Mr Banks came to Register the birth of a son.

Friday 10th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest Wyatt were cutting Danthonia in the barley paddock, Ernest was here for dinner.
Mr Wilson the young Presbyterian parson called here and had some dinner.  Killed a Sheep in the evening.  I went to the Library and Post Office.

Saturday 11th   It was a fine day.  Willie was cutting Danthonia by himself all day.  In the morning I took the horse and sleigh down to the village, left the mutton at Harpers, went down to the beach for a load of black soil & sand.

Sunday 12th   It was a fine day.  Mr Wilson (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the morning, a large congregation,  Jane & I went.  Willie spent the day down at Alberts,  on returning home I found  Frank & Florrie Pratt here, I was the only one at home so I had to entertain them.  After they were gone I went to Mr Gravatts and staid tea, Mrs Pilcher was th aying there [sic: was staying there], I had not seen her for nearly  11 years.  After church Jane went to Ti Point to spend the day.

Monday 13th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest were cutting Danthonia all day.  In the morning I took the horse down to the village to post some letters , carried up from the wharf to the Library a parcel of books, afterwards dug some Potatoes in farm orchard.
In the pm planted out some Asters.  Slight showers in the morning.

Tuesday 14th   A slight shower in the morning, otherwise a fine day.
Willie & Ernest were cutting Danthonia.  In the afternoon I took the box of Eggs down to the wharf & hauled up 100 lbs Flour & 2 Boxes of Groceries.

Wednesday 15th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest were cutting Danthonia.  In the morning I took the horse down to the wharf, hauled up some sand & ½ Bushel Wheat from Store.  Joe Wyatt went per “Kawau” to Auckland en route for Te Aroha.  In the pm Jane went to see Mabel.

Thursday 16th   It was a very hot day.  In the morning Willie & I were digging Potatoes in the farm orchard.  In the pm Willie was cutting Danthonia.  Ernest was spraying.

Friday 17th   It was a very hot day.  In the am I took the horse down to the village to post some letters, brought up some sand.  Willie was cutting Danthonia morning and part of the afternoon.  We got the Sheep in and killed one.  Jane went to a Xmas  tree at Dacres.  I went to P.O and Library.

Saturday 18th   It was a hot day.  In the morning I took the mutton to Harpers with the horse and brought up a bag of sand.  Willie was cutting Danthonia all day.

Sunday 19th   There was heavy rain early this morning, but it only lasted about an hour, the sun came out and it soon dried up, remainder of day fine.  Jane spent the pm at Mrs Dunning Snr.
In the pm I walked up the hill, called at A. Greenwoods, had tea there, called at Mr Banks.

Monday 20th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest were cutting Danthonia all day.  I went down to the village to post letters, carried up a bag of sand.  Planted 2 Dahlias.

Tuesday 21st   It was a very hot day.   Willie & Ernest were cutting Danthonia all day.  In the pm I took the box of Eggs down to the wharf  & hauled up empty egg box & bag of sand.  Received a letter from my sister Jane.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a very hot day.  Willie & Ernest commenced thrashing Danthonia .  In the morning I dug Potatoes in farm orchard, in pm working in flower garden.  Wind blowing strong from SSE.

Thursday 23rd   It was a hot day.  Willie & Ernest were thrashing all day.  In the morning I cut firewood and dug Potatoes.  In the pm went down to Steamer to get mail.  In the evening Jane went down to Hall to help rig up  the Christmas tree.

Friday 24th   Christmas Eve.  It was a hot day.  Willie & Ernest were thrashing all day.  In the morning I went down to the village to post letters, brought up a bag of sand with the horse, in the pm took Mrs Carr some potatoes & peas, then went down to the Hall to help.  The Xmas tree was in the evening , Jane & Willie went .  I staid at home.
I heard that the gross takings were £18. .5 . 0 .

Saturday 25th   Christmas day.  Willie & Ernest were thrashing Danthonia, but the wind was so squally it scattered and blew the seed out , they knocked off early.  I was working in the flower garden.

Sunday 26th   It was a hot day, wind still blowing strong from SW.
I held service in the Hall in the evening, there was a good congregation.  The collection for the organ fund was 14/8.

Monday 27th   It was a fine day, wind still blowing strong from SW.
Jane went to Matakana in D. Knaggs buggy to witness a Cricket Match.  Willie & Ernest thrashed Danthonia.  I staid at home  & worked in the garden.  There was a Dance in the Hall in the evening, Willie & Jane went, Vic Simpson returned here and staid all night.

Tuesday 28th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest were thrashing Danthonia.  Grace came up in the “Kawau”, I took the horse down to bring up her luggage, Jane & Vic were down to meet her.

Wednesday 29th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Ernest finished thrashing in the morning , afterwards Willie took the box of Eggs & 1 Case mixed plums down to the Steamer .  In the pm I cut down all the docks below the house & put them on a heap.  Willie & Grace walked over to To Point, returning in the evening.

Thursday 30th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I took the horse down to meet the “Kawau“, Bert Wallace came up in her.  In the pm we all went over to the Claim to see a Cricket Match between Omaha and a team from Taumaranui, the visitors beat by 41 runs.  Bert & I returned home after tea, but the others staid for the Dance.

Friday 31st   In the morning Willie went over to mend the fence next Norman Mathesons, it came on some heavy showers and he got wet. Bert W  walked over to Ti Point and coming home in the afternoon, he also got wet,  it cleared up in the evening & I went down to the Village to get the mail and to attend the Library.